The present invention is directed toward the art of cup dispensers and, more particularly, to a new and non-obvious diaphragm-type cup dispenser assembly and method of manufacturing same. The subject cup dispenser is particularly convenient and cost-effective to manufacture and assemble, and is also easy to install and remove as required for cleaning and other purposes.
Cup dispensers of the type under consideration are commonly employed in fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to maintain a supply of paper, plastic, foam, and/or other disposable cups near beverage or soft-serve frozen food dispensing equipment for use as required. The dispensers typically comprise a storage tube or cylinder that holds a telescopically interfitted stack of cups. A resilient diaphragm with an open central portion is placed across an open end of the storage tube, and the closed end or bottom of the outermost cup projects outwardly through the open central portion of the diaphragm. The cups in the stack are larger in cross-sectional dimension than the opening in the diaphragm and, thus, the diaphragm resiliently grips the outermost cup and prevents same from passing beyond the diaphragm. This, then, also prevents any other cups in the stack from exiting the storage tube through the opening in the diaphragm.
To dispense a cup, a user simply pulls the exposed outermost cup so that the diaphragm distends/dilates sufficiently to allow this cup to pass through the diaphragm opening. As the outermost cup is pulled from the stack, the diaphragm grips the next or adjacent cup in the stack and prevents same from passing through the diaphragm opening until a user pulls same with sufficient force. The cup dispenser can be mounted with the diaphragm located at a lower end of the storage tube so that the cups are gravity-fed toward the diaphragm, or can be mounted at any other angle as desired. In some cases, it is necessary and convenient to use a spring or the like to bias the stack of cups toward the diaphragm so that the bottom of the outermost cup always projects through the opening defined in the diaphragm. These diaphragm-type cup dispensers have enjoyed widespread commercial success, and are available from Tomlinson Industries, Modular Dispensing Systems Division, Cleveland, Ohio 44125.
Heretofore, diaphragm cup dispensers of the type described have typically used metal, such as stainless steel, to define the cup storage tube. The use of stainless steel is desirable in light of its combination of durability and corrosion resistance. Unfortunately, the use of stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metals adds significant expense to these cup dispensers, both in terms of material costs and labor.
Furthermore, a need has been identified for a new and improved method of manufacturing a diaphragm-type cup dispenser. Specifically, it has been deemed desirable to develop a method of manufacturing a diaphragm-type cup dispenser in a manner that eliminates the requirement for tools during the assembly process.